The Royal Couple
by SuperGlue007
Summary: AU. When Elsa and Hans entered into a political marriage,they made a deal of staying married for one year and not fall in love. The deal will be broken if any of them falls in love. But with an obvious attraction drawing them closer and the rumor about Anna's secret involvement with her husband unleashes her power and set an eternal winter... Who can thaw the queen's frozen heart?
1. The royal couple

**The Royal Couple**

**By- Superglue007**

**Chapter one- The royal couple**

Some people were born more fortunate than others, such was a case with her. What little girl did not dream growing up as a princess?

But as a child she was always convinced as the opposite.

Some palace was not like at all what people thought. Even a palace could be a prison.

Her parents never explained why she was able to freeze the water or make snow out of nowhere. Or why she was not allowed to attend school like other children or to play with them. She heard the servants whispering about her mysterious power, but she never knew why they feared it.

When she accidentally hurt her sister with her powers, her parents decided to close the gates of the palace for forever. They said it was for her protection. Her connection to the outside world was cut down, even with her sister. She was only allowed to meet her during dinners, only with her gloves on. They were not allowed to play together, or have lessons in the same room. She was not allowed to build snowmen, not even just for fun. She was always told that her power held a great beauty, but it could be also dangerous.

But she never knew why everybody feared her powers, or why she was taught to fear her own powers. Why she was not allowed to go outside while her sister Anna roamed freely in the castle. Why she was told to hide her powers or had to wear gloves in front of people. She learned the reason for this when she was eleven. A prophecy.

_Your future is bleak,_

_Your kingdom will splinter,_

_Your land shall be cursed in unending winter,_

_With blasts of cold will come dark art,_

_And a ruler with a frozen heart._

It was about her, she knew. No one in the royal family had the power to control ice and snow.

Being the first born to the royal couple of Arendelle she was always destined to be a queen. So she began to fear about the day to come, she began to fear about her secret to be exposed, she began to fear the future waiting for her.

On her eighteenth birthday, her parents enlightened her with the news of her betrothal. She was betrothed to a certain prince of The Southern Isles since birth. They said that that it was a part of her duty as future queen of Arendelle. Besides, this marriage would make a strong political alliance between two powerful kingdoms. Royal marriages were never held out of love, not when she was destined to be a queen.

"It is wonderful." Her younger sister Anna sounded overjoyed with the news of her sister's betrothal. But she could not feel like that, she was not allowed too. Still she could not but feel a bit jealous of her sister.

But she hoped to fall in love with her betrothed during the courtship her parents promised before the marriage.

Unfortunately, she never got the chance.

Her parents died on their way to the Southern Isles. The king of the Southern Isles sent his regards in a letter addressed to the royal family, saying that all of the thirteen princes were unavailable to attend the funeral, and the king himself was too sick to journey to Arendelle. But he agreed to postpone the marriage until the mourning period was over.

She was soon titled as the Queen by the council, though her father's trusted advisor Kai agreed to act as her regent until she came to age.

Dignitaries from foreign kingdoms came to congratulate the new queen. But the queen never met any of them. She locked herself in her frozen room while Anna knocked and knocked at her door. And finally it faded. She sat there behind the closed door, crying, shivering in her self-created blizzard.

She was afraid, she was mourning. She never wanted to be a queen with the loss of her family. Without her parents she did not know how to hide her powers from being exposed.

_Your future is bleak,_

_Your kingdom will splinter…_

Now on her way towards the wedding altar, she was praying to God to give her strength to meet her destiny. Her sister, Anna, the maid-in-honor accompanied her towards the altar, where her betrothed stood. She never bothered to look at him or to see his face as she stepped on the altar beside him. She recited the marriage vow like a parrot after the priest. When her husband kissed her lips after being announced as the man and wife, she only followed him like a rag doll. Dignitaries from foreign kingdoms congratulated the new couple on their new life. She only smiled at them, trying hard to stop the ice forming inside her white gloves.

He offered his arm as the young queen followed her husband outside the church. Flowers girls followed them, showering the new couple with flowers. Standing beside him, she could not help but notice how green his eyes were, how warm he felt against her cold skin. She wanted to step back, because the magic was still stirring somewhere beneath the surface. She pressed her lips in a tight smile, and accepted his arm. He returned her smile reassuringly as the new royal couple appeared in front of the people for the first time.

The whole kingdom went on their knees at the sight of their new rulers, and cried in unison, "All hail Her majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle. All hail His royal highness Princess Hans of the Southern Isles."

And thus this story began.

**review please, before leaving this page. I need your opinions to go through my first story.**

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><p><em>A.N- This story is based on the one-shot "Arranged" by "An Unknown Foreign Beauty" with her permission. I am completely swept over by her brilliant stories, and asked for her permission. I am glad she let me to use her idea. But it is not completely a rewrite of her story because I will mostly use my own ideas. It is also a bit inspired by "The young Victoria."<em>

_Reviews and favourites are most appreciated for a new writer like me. Don't sue me for the errors as English not my first language, and it is my first ever story on this website also._


	2. The deal

**Chapter two- The deal**

Gerda placed the last pin in Elsa's hair, securing her bun right into place. After stepping back to assess her work, she placed her hands over her mouth to catch her breath. "Oh, Your Majesty…" she whispered."You look so beautiful."

She was right… Elsa circled once, taking note of the embroidery Gerda had sewn into the cape, corset, and skirt, and it was absolutely breathtaking. "Oh, Gerda…" She couldn't believe how Gerda could have made this dress in such a short amount of time. "That's mostly because of this gorgeous dress…Thank you so much."

"His highness will be swept off his feet." Gerda said with a smirk, "He will not be able to take his eyes off you tonight."

Elsa sighed. She did not know if she could sweep her husband off his feet by her looks tonight, but all she knew that she had to stop her power from being unleashed if she wanted to keep her husband away from being frozen on their wedding night. Stepping off the pedestal, Elsa took the set of paste colored gloves to match the dress, and made her way towards the door.

There was a knock on the door. "Are you ready, Elsa?"

It was Anna. She had been bouncing with joy since the date of the wedding was fixed. She herself took care of each and every details of the wedding ceremony- from the foods to the decorations. Possibly the excess of chocolate fondue in the menu was her idea. Elsa wished she could return the same amount of happiness that Anna wanted to give to her, or at least say a simple thank you, but unfortunately she could not. There was an icy wall, a literal one was standing between them that could not be melt.

Elsa opened the door, shocked to see Anna look especially beautiful in her green off-shoulder evening ball gown, with matching embroideries like her wedding dress. It was Gerda's plan. She always tried to match the sister's outfits, but Elsa knew nothing could overcome the difference that was created between them over years.

"Oh…" One hand clutched tightly at the skirt of her dress, she said, "I didn't know that you are waiting for me Anna…" After the years of shutting her sister out, she was sure Anna had no reason to wait for her anymore.

"Oh, Elsa. I am your maid of honor. I must take care of you tonight." Anna flashed Elsa a grin, hooking her arm around hers. A part of Elsa's mind that was still working told her to break the contact immediately, the magic was still stirring beneath the surface. Anna could get hurt.

"Are you kidding me?" she hissed. "Go away. I can take of myself."

Elsa's angry voice frightened Anna. She immediately loosened her grip around her sister's arm, and walked away. Elsa could see her shoulders shaking as she ran. She hurt her! God she hurt her again, in a more cruel way she did in their childhood.

But she had no other way. If she wanted to keep her sister safe, she had to stay away from her.

Unconsciously her gaze fell to her gloved hands, how normal they looked behind them. But it was only her, who could feel the frost gathering beneath them.

The queen peeped through the door of the adjoining ballroom, and found all the eager faces waiting for her. Soon she would be asked to join her husband in their first dance. Tomorrow she would take her responsibility as their queen. There was no way to hide behind those closed doors anymore.

God knew how long she could hide her curse from them.

"If you're really going to dance with me, my queen," Elsa was startled with a deep baritone beside her ear. She whirled around to find her husband standing behind her. She had no idea when he sneaked up behind her to join her at the door of the ballroom. He was as silent as a kitten. She tilted her head to her side to take a clear look of his face. When her blue eyes met his sparkling green ones, she began to realize that her husband was really a handsome man. With such charming smile, dark red hair, and nicely trimmed sideburns, he could easily steal any woman's heart. His green eyes were sparkling with a hint of mischief.

"I suggest you have something to drink first." He stopped at a banquet table with an untouched place setting, lifted a bottle of champagne from the center of the table, and poured some champagne into an unused glass. "Alcohol acts as an anesthetic," he told Elsa with a grin as he handed her the glass, "And dancing with me could be a painful and dangerous experience."

The orchestra was playing a popular slow song as they neared the dance floor, but when Elsa started to put the glass of champagne down on a table, he shook his head. "Finish it."

"Are you really that worried about stepping on my feet?" She asked, her smile filled with a mixture of sarcasm, relief, and laughter. Dancing with this man wouldn't be a bad experience.

"Certainly not," Hans teased, taking her hand in one, placing another one on his shoulder and leading her into a waltz. "I'm worried that you'll be so tense and stiff that _you'll _step on _my _feet. I guess you are not the dancing type."

_How did he know?_ she wondered. She tiled her head to side to meet his gaze to assess how much he knew about her but he turned away his head immediately. Gazing at the ballroom, he smiled, "But I am afraid you must fulfill the public demand tonight."

The crowd cheered as the couple stepped into the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife. Elsa's head felt very light as Hans twirled her swiftly. Within a moment Elsa understood that her husband was a very good dancer, who could make even an ungraceful dancer like her twirling, and sweeping across the floor with the music. Anna was dancing with some foreign delicate at a distance. Elsa could not but note the surprised look in her eyes, for she knew that she always disliked dancing. Elsa herself was surprised too. Probably, alcohol was really muddling her brain. Besides it made her to feel strangely euphoric, which was not bad at all. Probably she would try something stronger next time.

When she finished fifth glass of her wine, he slid his arm around her on the dance floor, Elsa gazed up at him, her features soft and warm for the first time since the wedding. "Prince Hans?"

He returned her smile, but the green eyes that regarded her from beneath half-lowered lids seemed preoccupied, thoughtful. "_Hmmm_?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you are very handsome and gallant?" Elsa could not believe those words coming from her mouth. Alcohol had messed her up really very badly.

"Too many." he laughed. "As an admiral I've traveled many lands, and met many princesses. Some of them really found me very handsome indeed."

He laughed at the memory. He grasped her wrists, and twirled her again. "What about you, your majesty? Have anyone told you that you are beautiful?"

"No. I've never courted any man before you." She kept her answers short. If he sensed her annoyance at his presence it only worked to spur him on because he was smiling.

"What a pity!"

To her dismay, she let him place his gloved hands on hers. His warmth penetrated her gloves, seeping through her frosted fingers, melting them inside her gloves. There was a latent sexuality about him, but now in the glowing candlelight it became an aura of cool sophistication and inevitable attraction. All eyes were on the new handsome Prince consort as they danced, and Elsa was relived to notice that no one was giving the queen any special attention.

"Then you must be in love with one or two of them." Alcohol had probably muddled her brain too much, and she was surprised to hear her own giggle.

In the answer she saw his jaw tighten, but he maintained his posture anyway, "No. I've slept with a few of them, but love…well it is very unlikely for a prince who is thirteenth in the line to the throne."

Elsa's reply was an irrepressible giggle. "Liar."

He looked stung. "Now, that is one thing I am not."

There was certain sadness in his tone that made the queen to look into his forest green eyes. It might be really awful being growing up in the shadow of twelve older brothers, and being considered inferior to their greater opportunity to have the throne quicker than him. She thought of how Anna had angrily stalked off after their few minutes of laughter. For a second it had been like it always had before it all went wrong.

Hans probably understood her thoughts and twirled her gently. With her heart filled with confusion and her head swimming from all the wine and champagne she'd drunk to reinforce her courage, "Then why did you agree to marry me?"

Instead of answering, he gazed at her in speculative silence for a so long, that Elsa began to feel very uncomfortable. "What about you, your majesty?"

"To keep my parent's promise to your father and to beget an heir, of course." Annoyed by the hint of mischief in his eyes, Elsa decided to tease him back. "What about you, my prince? You don't seem to marry me very willingly."

"To try my luck of course." His eyes never left hers, and they glinted with mischief as he spoke, "To prove myself worthy to my brothers."

"You are an awful gambler, my prince." she teased back.

"I am afraid, that term goes to you too." He gazed deep into her icy blue eyes, and Elsa shivered at the thought that he was actually seeing through her facade.

"But I can take a chance, your majesty." He smiled.

"You are talking like a business proposition." Elsa said firmly, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach.

"A business proposition it is, your highness." He grinned mischievously, and Elsa wondered if he had something else in his mind, "Since none of us entered into this marriage willingly, we will remain married for one year. By this time, I'll give you an heir, and you will help me to make myself worthy to my brothers. But if any of us fall in love with another during this time, then he or she will lose. And the winner will have complete right to make the looser to surrender to his or her will."

Elsa searched his shadowy face for some indication that he was joking, but his expression was completely serious. "Am I _honestly_ supposed to take you—I mean, this proposal—seriously?"

"I assure you, I'm completely serious." Elsa looked into his eyes trying to understand his intention, but he seemed very much determined in his proposition, "Do you agree with me, Your Majesty?"

It did not sound very bad. Since she would not be able to live a normal life for long, then it would be a better way to end this marriage peacefully.

The queen held out her arms in a gesture of complete cooperation. "Of course, Prince Hans. But the chance of your winning is very slim."

"I will try my best." She felt his lips touching her ears, and his breath brushing her skin.

The dance ended with him dipping her low, and kissing her lips chastely. Her brain was so much overloaded with alcohol that she did not stop him.

And the deal was sealed.

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><p><em>A.N.- Next chapter will be their wedding night. So brace yourself for it. I am trying to stay true to "An Unknown Foreign Beauty's story, So some parts may look similar to her story, but they are used with her complete permission.<em>

_What do you think about Hans here? Do you like him?_

_Reviews will be much appreciated. Faves and follows are welcome too._


	3. The wedding night

**Chapter three- The wedding night**

Everything went on according to the traditions.

Soon after the dance, the couple was ushered to the dining hall to follow next part of the ceremony. Elsa caught the smirk in her new husband's face as he led her towards the wedding cake. Elsa was overwhelmed by the wishes from the delegates from foreign kingdoms as they held the knife over a spectacular cake—too grand, she thought, for her relatively uneventful marriage. They took turns shoving cake in each other's faces; Hans manfully swallowed his portion as Elsa nibbled hers. She watched in disbelief how skillful actor he was, and how skillfully he tackled all of her lack of social skills. She threw her bouquet with atypical skill, right into Anna's surprised hands. She looked still angry from their previous argument, but fortunately she kept her manners in control. Her new brother-in-laws howled with laughter at her blush while her husband removed he garter—which she had shimmied down nearly to her ankle—very carefully with his teeth. Frost gathered at her feet as his teeth grazed her thigh, and she prayed not to freeze him right in front of the public. Fortunately it did not take Hans too long to remove the garter off her thigh, and Elsa quickly pressed her legs together, letting out a sigh of relief. With a quick wink at her, he shot it straight into one of his laughing brother's face. And Elsa could only imagine what was going to happen there after.

So after the wedding dinner, when he picked her up in a bridal style, she furiously prayed to God that to help her to keep her powers in control. Instead of wrapping her arms around her new husband's neck as he carried her to their new bedchamber, she kept her hands gathered carefully in her lap, and squirmed off his lap as soon as they entered into their honeymoon suit.

"You are not used to be touched by other people…" Hans observed, shrugging.

Elsa chuckled nervously, taking her crown and veil off. "I spent ten years being locked in…" she muttered, stepping back to place them on her vanity.

Hans took the time to rid himself of his boots as she put the veil away, watching her then undo her bun, platinum curls falling like a waterfall down her back. "I don't mind," he replied. "Besides I am too used to be ignored by people..."

Elsa didn't hear his last words as she was too busy with her own musing. It was strange to share her room with another person all on a sudden, while she was practically isolated from the rest of the world for many years. Elsa could hear her shaky breathing as she rid herself of her earrings and necklace. She was so nervous; how could she do this without freezing the room, or worse, without freezing Hans? A thousand warning bells were clanging madly in her head, making her to feel extremely dizzy.

She almost jumped out of her skin as Hans snuck up behind her, placing his hands on her hips. His nose brushed a bit of her wavy hair away from her neck as his lips soon followed. Elsa clutched the edge of her vanity tight, grateful that her gloves were still on comfortably, like they could conceal her powers even during this.

"But the deal we have made requires some human touch." She heard the deep baritone of Hans' voice speaking near her ear. "Maybe some intimate ones." He finished with a smile, withdrawing his lips from her neck. Elsa was relieved that he did it, but when her eyes met his exposed skin above the vee of his silk shirt, she could not stop the blush appearing in her cheeks.

But she did not want to be touched by any human, right? She tried to put the things into perspective and realized it would be ridiculous to say such thing, for it would expose her secret to her husband. It was something she needed to hide from everyone, even form herself.

"I know," She lied. She was dying in shame for lying in this way, but when she looked at his face, she saw him arching one eyebrow.

"Well," Hans said, gazing into her eyes deeply, but Elsa knew that he could sense her discomfort, "Then I guess you are ready to enjoy our wedding night." He tried to keep his voice casual, but Elsa didn't miss the hint of a smirk in his lips. He was teasing her, she realized. He was ready to do anything to win their deal. But if she wanted to win, she had to play along no matter what.

"Yes," She shook her head nervously. Frost began forming around her fingers inside her gloves, as she saw him moving closer, loosening the upper button of his shirt. "So am I, your highness." He whispered, in a seductive way, and Elsa tried to fix her gaze on his face, which seemed more appropriate now. Temperature dropped around her a bit more, when she felt his breath brushing her skin, leaving goosebumps wherever they touched. _Conceal, don't feel_. She could do this. She had to do this.

Hans gazed at her for a moment, as if trying to analyze what was going inside her mind. Elsa tried to summon all her strength, and looked into the green of her husband's eyes, waiting for him to make the first move…

Elsa's entire body tensed as his hands curved around her shoulders, drawing her back against his full length. "If you want to win the deal, then let me kiss you, my queen." He whispered in her ears. Elsa nodded nervously. His warm lips touched a sensitive place behind her ear, sending shivers racing down her entire body. "Kiss me back, my queen," He urged, his voice like velvet, his mouth against her ear. Elsa tried, but her breath came out in a shuddering sigh. She was losing control again. Ice began forming all around her, inside her gloves, at her feet…everywhere…

Her heart was racing beneath his hand as he slid it over her midriff, taking his time before he let himself touch the full, tantalizing breasts that were within his reach. He slid a kiss over her smooth temple and trailed another down the silken skin of her cheek. Elsa tried to respond…she tried to kiss him back….she tried to stop the ice forming around her fingers…but in his arms she felt like…Wood.

The deal wasn't as easy as she thought.

She was breathing as if she were running; her heart was thundering from…Fright. Frost began creeping along the walls of their bedroom, and the temperature around her dropped even more. If she continued losing control like that, she would end up freezing the entire castle before the the sunrise.

She quickly pulled back, and took a sharp breath. Concerned, Hans looked into her eyes. They were wide with fear. "Your highness?" He whispered, looking at his wife with much concern, "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this.' she almost cried, with eyes wide like a frightened child.

It would be wise to leave her to deal with her fears. But for some weird reason, Hans felt a strange need to move closer, curiously brushing away the ice over her hair. He wrapped a consoling arm around his frightened wife as she collapsed in a chair. She did not like other women, instead her skin was as cold as ice. it reminded him of the old tales he heard about Arendelle's magical secrets, about the unending winter taking over this land, and the ruler with a frozen heart.

Instead, he held her as his wife continued shaking uncontrollably.

A few moments later when she finally stopped shaking, Elsa found that she was actually wrapped in her husband's arms. Elsa flinched away when her eyes fell upon their entwined hands. Hans quickly moved his hands away from hers as he noted the startled expression in her face.

"It is alright, my queen." His voice lost its previous softness, as if his previous gestures were only a part of a script.

Elsa didn't notice that. She was relived to see the frost stopped growing further more.

"I want to sleep." She took a deep breath and huffed nervously.

About one thing Hans was now sure about his new wife- she was one of the most vulnerable person he had ever met. Something was bothering her, he could feel, though he was not sure what it was. It felt like she held some dark secrets. Still she was his key to success, so he decided not to probe it further right now.

"As your wish, your highness." He said as he sat down on the king sized bed to remove his socks for the night.

Elsa was too relived to see Hans agreeing with her decision almost immediately, but the thought of sharing her bed with a complete stranger was still bothering her. "Umm…" She hesitated, looking at the snow at her feet. "Can you please take the guest room? I prefer to sleep alone."

Her request made him to stare at his wife for a second in utter surprise, and soon a smile laced his lips, "Of course, your majesty."

Then he took his possessions, and left the room without further argument.

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><p>AN: So review, please. I need your help to improve my writings. Hope Hans is not too OOC here.

Please, please, if you are reading this story, don't go away. Drop your thoughts before leaving.


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